Hello Everyone,
 
We have been slow with support responses lately, we cannot deny it and I would like to sincerely apologise for that.
 
We have recruited more staff (and we did have to let one go!). We are now training them as fast as we can so we can improve our response times. As the community gets bigger it is a constant race to get staff and train them so we can provide support to our users.
 
For as long as I have been involved with this project the problem has always been product support and our manual. We appreciate the backing you have all shown us in the Viart User Community and we realise we have not always been able to offer the support that you need.
 
One of the challenges has always been that we are adding extra, sometimes quite in-depth, features regularly. It is sometimes difficult for our support team to keep up with these changes!
 
With regard to the manual we know we have got an issue here. The truth is I have tried many different avenues with this (and spent not inconsiderable sums of money!) to come up with a manual that is useful to users. We have prepared some new documentation and I hope we can upload it here tomorrow. I think it might help new users to learn some of the features - but I'm sure you'll give me feedback as to the usefulness of the document(s)
 
I know we still have more work to do in this area. It needs (I think) a combination of a great understanding of the product together with good English skills. You have all shown great support for our system and I would welcome any practical ideas you might have as to how we can improve and maintain our documentation.
 
Do you know of anyone that could help us with that?
 
Thanks, Tony

Tony,
 
I have been using this cart for quite sometime now, and I feel like I know the ins and outs of the cart extremely well.
 
I would be more than happy to assist in any way possible, and have actually been working on some instructional videos that I've been putting together to help out.
 
Whatever you can think of, and how I could help out, please let me know.
 
Dan.
 
daniel{dot}risch{at}tocdco{dot}com

Thank-You Tony For a decent head's up....
 
As dan Stated,
We all probably have area's where we can each help out in our own way...T
The forum's are a great place to start, But than again it all depends on the responces "and time available" of the group. Probably most of us are working on indivisual site changes, and visit here when we run across a problem or issue on something we tried.
I've still have a cple forum posts that have been viewed numerous times, but no posts on a solution..
Dan Maybe you good give me some insite on where to look or fix?...TYIA
 
Although I'm fairly new to the Viart scene, I did examine all the popular programs, and as most say....
"best bang for the buck"
 
For me as a newer member, to have a database compiled of ALL help requests is in order...I've requested this awhile ago,along with countless other's....
It is the way to go.....Imagine the saved time in support calls if we could find the solution ourselve's...
 
Possibly Viart is worried about some-one accessing some sequrity issue being discussed ???
Than time to make the forums Private for "Members-Only" Those who have purchased the program (s)..
 
Again, TY for the heads up...Hope some-one gets to mine soon....
And "Dan" If you can help me out in the mean time ???
 
Randy

Oh Ya......
Please try to get an area setup for file Updates...
I have the newest release, but still unable to add seperate canadian taxes, as stated it should do it in release 3.5.13

Tony thank you for the explanation. Very welcome.
 
You could perhaps set up a separate page form where we can input suggestions, additions or clarifications to the syntax of the various manuals by specific manual and by section. Or you could add a public section to this forum specifically for the Manual.
 
This saves support time in passing on information to the co-ordinator and allows direct contact by them to the originator if further clarification is required as well as increasing their knowledge and language skills.
 
It also means the information they receive is already filtered and if approved can be quickly cut and pasted into the on line version.

I have said before that some form of user group that could be used to comment upon things like the manual could make sense.
 
Each of us comes to the table with different skills and experiences; so you could get interesting insights into how manual pages are seen and understood - and what could be added or changed to make them more useful to us(ers).
 
Whilst I understand html. some css and a smidgen of php, I am not a programmer. But I have considerable marketing experience and some authoring skills. Dovetail this with the all the excellent skills that so many fellow users have and you find yourself with a substantial no-cost addition to your support department.
 
Ned's idea of a public section to this forum specifically for the Manual is well worth considering.
 
You have amazingly loyal users, Tony, for what is a terrific product. If we felt we were being actively listened to we would offer a wealth of valuable feedback.
 
Chris

Hi Everyone,
 
Please find below link to manual version:
http://www.viart.com/pdf/viart-e-commerce-doc.pdf
 
It is more geared towards helping end users to use their website than developers, but it's a start I hope. We'll soon have extra sections covering Articles, Product Types, Import/Export.
 
Thank you for your suggestions above - it's given us lots of ideas to work with. We wouldn't expect anyone to do any work for free but I think together we can come up with something that will allow us to get our documentation up to the level that reflects the needs of you all. Thanks again, I'll be back with a few ideas in a while.
 
Tony

I love the basic step by step graphical approach of this Tony.It is so clear .. It will be really a great help and i really look forward to seeing the other sections as they are completed .
Thank you
Paul

Is there any way of actually incorporating the manual into the system admin itself.
 
e.g a question mark link (?) besides each setting which brings a pop up box describing exactly what that field or button is for or by maybe double clicking on the label.
 
This would take time but once finally updated as and when new features are added the instructions could be added at the same time to keep everyone up to date
 
Basic information at the point where you need it!
 
If the pop up page could somehow also include a link to further information section linked to forums or even better a dedicated section devoted to customizations or add ons specific to that setting where developers and users contribute that would be even better.
 
So you click the ? or label
 
1). Basic information about what the setting does display (exactly like the info in your recent manual)
 
2) The option to delve further into developer or user notes. Obviously with a warning that the information in this section is not provided by Viart and to take care if following the guidlines (as in the forum)
 
3). A way for users and developers to add info for each setting. Maybe another button to click in admin to add notes for that setting which would be available to user only or to the public or both.
 
That way everybody could chip in and help where possible.
 
Regards,
 
Dave

The complexity of a manual is somewhat related to the useability of a product. Intuitive user interfaces require a whole lot less documentation.
 
If I were product managing the Viart, I would do the following:
 
1) Cleanup the admin UI. It's OK for the techies, but it lacks intuitiveness, so new users are going to look for doucmentation.
 
Reorganize it into logical groupings would help. To see what I mean, look at the long list of under Product or Orders menus - its a jumble of items that would best be regrouped into Categories/Products, Setup, and Reports.
 
2) Make features more streamlined, less like bolt ons. For instance, when you get tho the first list of prices, you get an option to click Prices . This takes you price breaks, not the standard prices used by the cart. It's sensible to have all the pricing options grouped together, in the same spot.
 
3) Add an Info popup to each main function in the Admin area (or at least the big ones). Put the instructions into a user editable static table.
 
4) Create a simple wiki. I'm sure you would get users helping out in a positive way.
 
I think if you polled users and the folks that decided not to be users, you would find the unorganized admin UI and lack of dicumentation to be the biggest obstacles. Fix the first problem and the need for fixing the second is greatly diminished.

freezer - that is exactly what we need - well said. I have used Squirrel Cart - not a patch on Viart but excellent with function explanation and they use this [ ? ] system. It is so very helpful.
 
wazoodle - I so much want Viart to take up your points; I am at best a wannabe techie - I want the 'why' do something as much as the 'how' to do.
 
I have had a look at the new manual pages and have a couple of questions:
1 Is it really searchable - the current manual produces some strange results and I wonder how we would search a pdf file?
2 How do we capture all the great tips and ideas from fellow users sprinkled through this forum. After a week or so they are lost. The idea of a wiki is certainly one solution
 
Example - one of many, many, mysteries for me. I create a block and I have an option to specify Parameters - what? How about a bit of explanation and some examples so that I could understand what this is about and how I can use it.
 
Tony - you must see that your customers are begging for a good usable route to understand and use Viart shop to it's full capacity. And that must be a commercial benefit for you!
 
 
I have an example of confusion I find - rather than put is here I have opened a new thread "Merchants - confused"

I just did a quick scan of these forums, the last time anyone from Viart chimed in was Sept 30. The live help link never appears online either.
 
Is there trouble in the henhouse?

Hi Newbie,
 
Not sure if you know but Tony Marshall (of Viart) added an upfront to this thread on 11/12/08 6:53 PM
 
He explains there are temporary staffing issues and if we can help in anyway etc.
 
Regards,
 
Dave

Hello Tony!
 
I'm just looking for a job - a fulltime one. If You need a staff member who knows and use most of the cart features, have good SEO skills, and ready to collect requested informations to systematize, and place in manuals, please contact me - my account is opened for You!
 
I'm in Hungary, so the salary may not be a problem - this is EMEA zone... :)